Spring Springeth

A few determined snow piles are clinging to their final crystaline frosty clumps, but there's no doubt that after one or two more days the last lurking bits of winter will disappear for a good long time. And I'm ready!

I've:

• priced bike racks for my car
• secured a student bus pass to explore the greater Grand Rapids area
• washed the few, but large windows of my tiny abode
• begun teaching my dog to run alongside me - well, trot
• raked my back yard

'Rake?' you ask. Yes, I do indeed live in an apartment complex where the grounds crew is responsible to clean the site. This includes cutting the grass and raking the leaves, but there are some areas - particularly the view from my patio - which are not included in their 'to-groom' list.

But it is on my list. If you look closely at this photo from last spring/summer you will see there is nice greenery, but also that the ground is blanketed with dead leaves.

This spring I intend to see green replace the brown hue, so today was my first layer of the raking mission. 'First layer' because I have no idea when, if ever, the leaves back there were cleaned up. It's probable not since the early 80's when these apartments were built. Muck and gunk on my boots after today's outdoor spring cleaning attest to this.

One problem is I'm not entirely sure where to put the leaf-muck pile. Being in touch with the apartment complex owners has gotten no response, so I'm left to my own creativity and devices. It may call for an ad on craigslist. It's amazing what people will take if you say it's 'FREE'.

Also, there's no promise that green will grow since my backyard really is more like a swamp area next to the creek, but I can still hope, can't I?